Oman: Sultan Haitham announces 32,000 jobs for Omanis

Dubai: Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman on Tuesday directed the government and private sector to accelerate the implementation of a plan to provide more than 32,000 jobs for young Omanis, , state news agency ONA said.

Sultan Haitham’s order comes amid rare protests that erupted in the Sultanate in the past three days over job layoffs and poor economic conditions. In some protests, demonstrators threw stones at police, who fired tear gas to disperse them.

According to Sultan Haitham’s directives, 2,000 jobs will be offered in the government sector under a temporary contract system, in addition to providing one million hours for part-time work in government bodies.

The employment scheme includes stipends to create 15,000 private-sector jobs for the next two years as well. It also provides government subsidies for those joining the job market for the first time.

The Ministry of Labour said it would announce the mechanisms necessary for the implementation of Sultan Haitham’s orders next month.

The scheme will support the self-employed and business owners this year, while 12,000 jobs will be created in the civil service and military.

The initiative is part of government efforts to boost employment and mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that led to a decline in economic conditions.